A Dream No Longer
by Ane Hoshi
Summary: Princess Serenity of Crystal Tokyo keeps her promise to once again see her love Helios. Was it merely a childhood dream or can their love be realized?
1. Reunion

Helios. The very name sent shivers up Serenity's spine and made her face hot. She hadn't seen him since she was twelve. She had been young and unaware then. Now at the age of seventeen Serenity was tall and willowy, she looked much like her mother at that age with the exception of her pink hair. She was also more knowledgeable, her training as a Sailor Senshi was completed, though she hadn't been appointed the leader of her own Senshi yet since peace was prevailing. Serenity had also had a few small romances of her own, though few of them lasted long; the court men didn't suit her wild spirit. Helios had always been in the back of her mind, a heart beat that she felt every now and then. But today her father, king of the earth, was meeting with Helios and had promised his daughter she could come.   
  
Serenity looked at herself in a long gold-edged mirror. She was pretty enough, her mother was gorgeous and every one said that she looked just like the queen. Serenity had tried on several different dresses that morning, but had decided on her best white dress, the one that had been her mother's when she was a princess. Suddenly, a little gray cat came running up to the princess, her bells tinkling delicately.   
  
"Small Lady, please hurry. You are supposed to be in the throne room at the moment. His majesty is about to leave and Queen Serenity wants to send you off." The little cat jumped on her mistress's shoulder and mewed softly to emphasize her words.  
  
"Thank you Diana. I was just straightening my dress. Lets hurry shall we?" Serenity lifted the hem of her dress so that she might walk faster without tripping.   
  
When she got to the throne room, Neo-Queen Serenity was sitting in her throne and King Endymion was bent over the arm of the chair, giving his wife a passionate good-bye kiss before he left. Small Lady waited politely for her parents to notice her. It had always been like this. Her parents loved and cared for her incredibly. She had never been in want of anything, especially attention and love. But Serenity had always known that there was little else in her beautiful mama's eyes except for King Endymion.   
  
While Serenity was lost in thought, Endymion and his queen had finished their personal moment and the king had turned around. "What would be on your mind little princess?" he asked smiling. "Are you ready to go into Earth now?"  
  
Serenity nodded and then Neo-Queen Serenity spoke. "I wanted to give this to you darling." The Queen slowly opened her outstretched hand to reveal a little pink brooch encrusted with gems. "It's your very own brooch. If trouble should arise during your stay at the Earth temple you have the will to fight it. I want you to always have that will. Safe guard this brooch and your heart Small Lady." Serenity embraced her mother and then took her father's hand as they summoned the power to teleport to the center of the Earth.  
  
Two beautiful shrine maidens in gauzy dresses with their hair in odango came to meet the royal travelers. "Welcome Your Majesty. Welcome Princess Serenity. Helios waits in the main hall. Follow us."  
  
Endymion held up his hand to stop the two maidens. "Actually just take my daughter in. I'll get myself settled in our chambers and I'll rest a while. I imagine Small Lady had some things to talk with Helios about." The maidens nodded in approval and led a blushing Princess off.   
  
Serenity was in a daze. She hardly heard the huge doors swing shut as the shrine maidens left. All she saw was Helios. He had grown tall, lanky, lightly muscled. His lavender-white hair was still it's wavy self, flopping into Helios's eyes like a horse's forelock. He looked up and his eyes wandered over Serenity's body before meeting her maroon eyes. "Small Lady?" he gasped, shocked at her presence. Serenity nodded and smiled.   
  
"Five years Helios. Last time I saw you I was twelve and you were fourteen. Too wise for fourteen." Serenity let her hands meet Helios's, her fingers intertwined with his.   
  
"You brought me back to life and I realized what love was. I knew you had a separate life to lead. Why would you want me?" Helios dropped the princess's hands and turned his face away. "Are you back to torment me?"  
  
"Torment you?" asked Serenity, hurt.   
  
"I have thought about you more than you would care to know in these past five years. I knew you loved me and I loved you. Why didn't you fulfill the promise sooner?"  
  
"I don't know. I always remembered you. I just never was able to come. I guess I was afraid you wouldn't love me anymore. We were so young! I never guessed it would last."  
  
"But it has?" Helios turned only his eyes up to Serenity, and they were deep with hope. Serenity nodded and rested her hand on Helios's shoulder. "May I have the honor of kissing you Small Lady?" Serenity was taken aback. It had happened once in a dream. A dream that Helios had made real. Helios took her pause as a yes and gently kissed his love on the lips. Serenity blushed and blinked when they broke the kiss.   
  
"I feel a little faint. I'm…I'm going to go lay down for a while. You probably want to see my father anyways." Serenity put her hand to her head, feeling foolish. She got dizzy from one little kiss. There had been other kisses before. And what if her love for Helios was the remnant of a childhood delusion? What if her papa didn't approve? But Serenity didn't care anymore.  
  
Next Chapter: Helios must decide wether to side his loyalty with his love or his king. Or has he already broken one oath enough to grant him leave of his temple? Angsts abound in Chapter II: One Promise To Break! 


	2. One Promise To Break

Serenity sat at a small vanity table that evening before supper brushing out her long pink hair. "Why couldn't my hair be more like my mother's?" Serenity complained to herself. For the first time in her life, Serenity knew what it was like to want to impress someone. Countless times before she would pretty herself for a ball or other social occasion with the intent to gather the handsome men around her, or to look pretty for one of her boy friends. But that was so vauge, with out real depth. Wanting to be pretty for Helios made Serenity feel as if she were drowning in a deep lake, only drowning wasn't pleasent and this feeling was. She put on a pretty mint green dinner gown and went to the dinning hall. All through supper Serenity hardly listened to her father's dull prattle with Helios as they conversed on politics and alliances and such. The young woman hardly tasted the food she ate, all her power was focused on Helios. The way his jaw moved when he talked, the way a slight breeze moved his hair, the gracefully, powerfull movments of his arms and hands as he cut his chicken breast and then speared it on a fork. It would be all too soon when this short one day visit would come to an end.   
  
After dinner Helios caught Serenity alone in one of the few coridors. "You couldn't take your eyes off me tonight could you?" he demanded, gripping her by the upper arms. Serenity blinked and smiled a little.   
  
"Do you love me Serenity?" Helios's voice softened.   
  
"I love you Helios. I love you." Serenity whispered as she brushed his bangs off his face. Serenity kissed Helios gently, slowly. She let the feeling of his lips on hers sink into her soul. She felt one of his hands move from her arm to the nape of her neck, the other sank to her waist. They parted to take a breath of air and Helios spoke. "I'm sorry."   
  
"For what?" breathed Serenity, feeling weak in the arms of her love.   
  
"For kissing you. I shouldn't have done that. It's not fair to you."  
  
"Not fair?" whispered Serenity, her voice takeing on an edge.  
  
"We can't continue this way love. I'm a priest and this Earth is to be my soul concern. It was my fault for letting you fall in love with me. I made a promise long ago that I would be this world's gaurdian."  
  
"You also made a promise to me."  
  
"And I've met that promise."  
  
Serenity turned away. Tears were filling her eyes. She had let herself submit to this love and now it was being torn from her. She had clung to a lie for five years? She realized every romance she had ever had was ended because it didn't equal that memory of Helios. Was this to end too because of an oath? "But... don't you love me?"  
  
"More than I should." murmured Helious sadly, his eyes deep with pain.  
  
"Haven't you already broken your oath? You thought of me for five years! You've kissed me twice! Is that not enough to break your damnable oath?"   
  
"Perhaps. But if I'm to cling to the shards of my promise than I have to stop here. We have to stop here. I'll never forgive myself. At least nothing furthur happend. We are of age and it could have..."  
  
"I wish it had so I could have not wasted five years of my life dreaming a lie!" Serenity shoved Helios against the wall and pinned him there. She was strong for so small a girl. The princess kissed Helios feircly before storming off. The soft feeling of his loveing lips on her's had faded. Now she only felt the hard force of her last kiss and it stung bitterly. But Serenity knew that Helios was right. Who else would remain inside the Earth to give strength to the Golden Crystal? To protect her father? No one else could do that. But no one else could ever make Serenity feel the way Helios made her feel. It was hopeless.   
  
The next day Serenity happily returned to Crystal Tokyo. She immediatly ran to find Sailor Venus, one of her favorite confidents, she had remained very girlish even though she was in her mid-thirties. Serenity fell to the blond's lap and sobbed her story out.   
  
"When I fought as Sailor V in England, I love a boy very much, but he fell for my best friend. I left England heartbroken and let him think I was dead. In away, Helios has fallen for your friend, your father. He made an oath and he loves this planet so much he will sacrafice anything for it. But you will find love again. Don't worry. There are plenty of fish in the sea."   
  
"I hate it when people say that!" wailed Serenity, hopelessly. "Helios loves me! I know he does! I saw the pain in his eyes when he chose one promise over another. I can't live without him Minako!"   
  
Venus smoothed her Princess's hair gently and told her to dry her eyes. "There isn't anything you can do. Just try and move on. Occupy your mind with other things, like your studies for example. Take up a hobby, do anything that will keep you very focused on something other than Helios. I know how it hurts." Serenity found herself nodding, drying the last of her tears and then walking mechanicly to dinner. Her face was a mask of her usual pleasent, bubbly self, but her eyes were dark with hurt and tragedy. Few noticed though, for few were watching anything but their plates.  
  
Next Chapter: Serenity goes out of her way to get Helios to notice her, but only pushes him furthur away. Whats a small lady to do? How about getting some help from an old friend? 


	3. Last Dance

The pretty rose dress matched her hair perfectly. Serenity smiled at her reflection in the mirror and decided she looked perfect for the ball. She had connived her mamma and pappa into inviteing Helios and her father had actually insisted the yuong preist should come. Her dress was low cut and tight, it accentuated all her curves and features perfectly. She would convince Helios to dance every dance with her and he would re-think his decision. Serenity went down stairs to the main ball room. There were already many guests there sampling the orderves and danceing a little to the orchestra's warming up music. Serenity saw Helios standing in the corner with his arms crossed. Serenity made her way over to him and picked up a martini to take him. "Hello Preist Helios." she said cordially.   
  
"I'm assume my comeing was your idea."   
  
"Perhaps. But it was King Endymion who made it impossible to refuse our invitation."  
  
"This wasn't a good idea Serenity." Helios downed his martini in one sip.   
  
"We'll see." Serenity opened a fan and fluttered it allureingly before flounceing off. Helios sighed. Why did he have to be such a fool? He hated hurting her, but it was a matter of priority, and his oath to King Endymion was far more important than any personal feelings, however powerful. As the ball progressed, Helios saw Serenity dance and flirt with many court men. It tore at his heart, and he realized he had made the mistake of thinking of Serenity for even a short time as his and his alone. Would she give up on him? Why did he hope she wouldn't? That was so unfair, that he would distance himself from her but then will that she would never love again.   
  
Serneity danced the first couple of dances with various court men and a few dukes. These dances were slower waltzes, the older dances. Her long pink hair flowed out around her as she spun slowly in the arms of one duke, Jack. Her eyes occasionaly flicked to meet his eyes but they were usualy darting back and forth to watch other couples, danceing happily with eachother. Her eyes fell most often on the silent Helios, leaning stiffly against a wall with another martini in his hand. "I'll go make him dance." Serenity thought.   
  
The slow waltz ended and a more modern dance begain. Serenity remembered this tune, it was one of her favorites. King Endymion had told her about how long ago such melodies and the accompning dances were common in Spanish speaking countries like Spain and Mexico. The princess hurried over to Helios and took his hand. "At least dance with me."  
  
"No." Helios glowered at the princess and his purple eyes turned away, they were thin like a cats.   
  
"You wouldn't dare refuse the royal order of a princess would you?"  
  
"Stop tormenting me. I wish you and Endymion hadn't conspired to drag me here. Every move you make is sheer torture for me because I want to be the one by your side. Don't you get it? I love you Serenity, but I'm bound by my own honor."  
  
"You are insulting your king by refuseing to dance with his daughter and enjoy his hospitality. Now come dance." wheedled Serenity.  
  
Helios sighed and took Serenity's gloved hand, leading her out onto the dance floor. Serenity gasped slightly as Helios pulled her very close, closer than Serenity should have allowed. But this might be the last time she could get him to hold her in his arms. The dance was not the fastest the princess could dance, but she was breathless just the same, both from the intricet steps and whirling movments but also from the feeling of being near her love. "You realize this is only going to cause us more pain Serenity?"  
  
"You are the one who can determine that." Serenity's voice was icy. Helios only held her tighter and made her dance faster.   
  
"You said you love me Serenity. Why do your words bite?"   
  
"Helios, you betrayed me. Made five year's worth of dreams become a lie. But I still love you." Serenity buried her face in his shirt collar. The top two buttons were undone as usual and the princess felt his warm skin against her cheek, the other cheek felt the cool smoothness of silk.   
  
"It would be easier if you hated me." whispered Helios.   
  
"I can't." Serenity looked up into his eyes and saw pain in them. Had she caused that suffering? But she could bear to even think of being without him now. It hadn't been a childhood delusion. Their love was real and now it couldn't be... she had to at least get a last memory. One last sweet moment. But he wouldn't let her. Never. But she could trick him.  
  
In a flash the dance was over. All too soon. Helios didn't realease his python grip on Serenity's waist at first. He lingered for a moment, takeing in the scent of her hair and her perfume. Was he too looking for a last sweet memory? He finally let go, slowly untwineing his arms from around Serenity's waist and leting his fingers brush the silk of her gown for the last time. Serenity let herself fade into the crowd as Helios turned to down two or three more martinis.   
  
Serenity ran up the stairs to her chambers. She had to get an old friend, someone she thought had been put away for good as a relic of babyhood. Luna P. Luna P was the only one who could help her. Help her win Helios. She took the black sphere and ran back down to the ballroom. She saw the punch bowl was empty and went to Helios. "Will you come help me get some more punch from the kitchen?" Serenity's mind was raceing. She didn't quite know what in hell she was doing. It was crazy. Helios knew servants did things like get more punch, but he followed Serenity. He didn't want to get in a fight. He had hurt her too much already. In a dark corner of the vast kitchen Serenity weilded Luna P, bounced the ball on the ground. In a puff of pink smoke a spirle patern umbrella appeared. It begain to spin and then Serenity cast it aside. She leaned foward to kiss Helios....  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Serenity's crazy plans get twisted around and plummet Helios into ill favor with King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity. Will Princess Serenity atone for her mistakes or will she let Helios suffer at her hand for crimes he didn't commit?   



	4. Downfall

Serenity leaned foward, her delicate white hands pressing Helios against the kitchen wall. Mechanicaly he brought his hands to the small of her back and pulled her closer. Just as their lips were about to meet Serenity pulled away. She didnt want it to be like this. He didn't wnat this. She would never force anything upon him. That wasn't love. Serenity slapped Helios, clearing his mind. Her head was throbbing. Too much dance and worry and heat... The room spun and Serenity felt herself falling as she fainted...  
  
Helios's head cleared and he bent to tend to Serenity. Suddenly one of the servants came in to refill the punch bowl. He saw Serenity slumped against the counter, Helios bent over her, and Helios's flushed face. "Get away from her you scondrel! How dare you lay hands on Princess of Crystal Tokyo!"   
  
Another servant came in, hearing the commontion. He hauled Helios up and pinned his hands behind his back. "Serenity!" cried Helios. He knew he hadn't done anything. But would King Endymion belive him?   
  
"Shut up!" one of the servants wrenched at Helios's arms. Helios could have easily broken free but he didn't want to make the situation worse. King Endymion came rushing in and bent to check on Serenity. Neo-Queen Serenity dashed in after her husband and turned cold eyes to Helios. "What have you done to Small Lady?" demanded the Queen.  
  
"Truley your majesty, I have done nothing. She swooned...I bent to check on her..." Helios bent his head. He wasn't quite sure what happened while he was under Serenity's spell. How long had he been transfixed? He hoped the magic hadn't forced him to do anything that would only lead to trouble. Why did Serenity have to be so stubborn? God he was mad at her!  
  
"I saw a diffrent story your majesty." said the frist servant who had walked in. "I saw him undoing her bodice and I heard a slap before I came in."  
  
Endymion came and stared eye to eye with Helios. "I trust you with my life. But I know you have been keeping your eye on her. I also noticed you drank alot tonight. I'm saying that you havaen't used your best jugment. I trust my servant more than a drunk man lusting after my innocent daughter." Endymion flicked his thumb at one of the servants. "Roma, get this man down to the dungeon. I'll question him when he's sober."  
  
  
Helios found himself dragged to the prison cell. He wanted to shout out to the king what had happened, but who would belive him. That was the last time he'd drink alchohol. How could one princess be so much trouble, even when he wasn't involved with her? God he wished he was. But Helios still knew she was worth it. If only he could let himself have that worth, he knew she'd let him have it. Helios, finally in the cell, sat on the bench and let his head fall into his hand. Was he a fool or not? Serenity had ruined his life. He had pined for her since childhood, and now wanted more than anything to gather her up in his arms like he had dreamed of doing so many times and he couldn't. Helios spent a long sleepless night, like so many others of late.   
  
The next morning Endymion found a Helios with red eyes and and sick look. "Tell me the truth Helios. What did you do to Serenity last night? To my little daughter?"  
  
"She swooned. I ment only to try and revive her. I think she had... a few too many martinis. She must have underestimated her tolerance." Helios fumbled.   
  
"Serenity never touches liquor, hates the stuff. You are lieing to me Helios. I'm going to imprison you here peremenantly for the asault and atempted rape of my daughter and princess of Crystal Tokyo. I'm sorry Helios, I thought you were a good man. I can no longer trust you to be a preist of Elysion." Endymion turned coldly away and stalked out of the cell. Helios hung his head in shame. He hadn't told the complete truth to his king, but he also knew it would be scandalous to have the love of a princess and a lowly, secluded preist leak out. He was nothing and his love was on a pedestle. He had sunk into less than nothing now because of Serenity. Should he love or hate her?  
  
Far upstairs, Serenity was being tended by Sailor Venus who had one of her hunches the princess's condition was hinged on Helios. Serenity hadn't left bed for two days after the ball. She felt physicaly sick, her heart ached and her mind reeled. Venus came in wearing a pale gold linen frock and she carried a tray with some hearty soup, some chicken and a sweet lemonade. "I have bad news Usa." said the blond princess. She was one of the few people who remembered still that Serenity had been named for her mother twice.   
  
"Oh no. What?" Serenity pressed her body into the pillows, braceing herself.   
  
"Helios is in the Crystal Palace dungeon for your attempted rape."  
  
"He didn't though!"   
  
"You refused to talk about it, they had two people's words and Helios didn't manage so well. Your refusal seemed to be something a rape victem would do Usa."   
  
Serenity hung her head and ran her fingers through her pink hair as she tried to think. "Helios refuses to give up his honor. If I tell the truth, his honor will be destroyed, because even where we stand he has already broken his oath and touched a woman out of love. But if I don't, he is still dashed to pieces."  
  
"There isn't anything you can do now. But what you have done was jelous and stupid Usa." Venus whiped off coldly and Serenity burst into tears.  
  
"Preists of Elysion must be born of a shrine maiden and the preist himself when the preist reaches a certain age. I'm not a shrine maiden and Helios isn't a certain age..." thought Serenity despreatly.   
  
Suddenly she had an idea. A despreat plan to save Helios. She would sacrafice herself so that he could keep his honor and his priesthood. Serenity got out of bed slowly, still mulling things over in her mind. She pulled on a clean slip and a blue dress that offset her hair nicely. She didn't care for looks though, as it were her hair was flowing down her back to her ankles and it was unbrushed and frizzing around her brow and temples. She had to find her father...  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Will Serenity have the strength to give up everything to recover Helios's reputation and restore him to the priesthood that tore them apart? If only the preist and princess can find the will to survive the ultimet test that Serenity's plan with put them through if it succedes. 


	5. Resurection

"FATHER!" Serenity flung herself to the floor and started talking once she had gotten his attention again. "It's wasn't Helios! Count Rubens...he...he...he did..and Helios got him off and checked on me.. the servant was wrong." Serenity choked out huge heaveing sobs, inspired by her imagining Helios with his proud head hung in dispair, arms shackled, traped in a glistening crystal cell like those in the basement.   
  
"Count Rubens?" said Endymion softly, his eyes glistening with pure rage. "MAKI!" roared the king, a servant scuttling in at the sound of his voice. "GET ME COUNT RUBENS IMEDIATLY! I WANT HIM HERE NOW!"  
  
Serenity was sent to her chambers and she did not hear the ugly details of the conversation between Rubens and Endymion. But half an hour later the Inner Senshi came bustling up to Serenity's room, hugged her and comforted her. "You should have told us. We would have whiped his butt!" said Mars.   
  
Venus had a look in her eye that she was useing her amazing acting skills to feing ignorance of the truth. It was all she could do at this point. Serenity smiled and dried some hasty tears before thanking her friends. "Can I go help release Helios?" asked the princess after hugging the Senshi.   
  
"You had better hurry." said Mercury. "They were going to pardon him as soon as possible."   
  
Serenity ran down to the prison blocks in the basement. What she had done was going to alter everything she had grown up for. She was going to step away from what she knew and go into a strange world. So many things could go wrong, Helios could refuse, someone would discover the truth, any number of things. But it was too late for her to go back now, she'd have to forge ahead. Serenity was absolutly terrified. But if it was to help restore Helios to his position in Elysion it was worth it. They only real problem was haveing Helios in her sights and not being able to even glance his way with love in her eyes. But it would be up to him and the gods to make her plan truly succed.   
  
Serenity grabbed the prison cell key card and unlocked Helios's cell, no gaurds were around and no one was approching. She gently kissed him awake, a gentle kiss of realif and love. "Helios. Honey, I saved you."  
  
Helios awoke slowly, wondering what manner of prison gaurd would awaken him thus. He saw Serenity and turned away. "You." his voice was cold. "If you couldn't have me you'd destroy me eh?"   
  
"NO! I set you free...I gave up everything and set you free."  
  
Helios turned venimos eyes up to his princess. "What did you do now?"   
  
"I'm going to give myself as a preistess to Elysion. The new preist is born of a preistess and the preist when the preist has the dream of conception and couples with the preistess. The preist is usually thiry two when he has the dream, but in rare cases it has been at other ages. Like twenty..."   
  
"It wouldn't work. Too suspicious."  
  
"I blamed the rape on a real court bastard, I killed two birds with one stone. I'm unclean and need to wash myself with a life of religious purity. Once we...couple...we are wed and give the preist to be raised by the-"  
  
"I KNOW! It was my childhood. But I don't love you anymore Serenity. You went too far."  
  
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" cried the princess. Helios just stood up and faced Serenity. Looked into her eyes. And she knew it was. Endymion came in and saw his daughter inside with Helios.   
  
"What are you doing Serenity? I was just about to come down."  
  
Serenity looked at Helios and then turned around slowly and painfully. "I was talking to Helios papa. I want to become a shrine maiden, to purify myself. I want to live in Elysion for the rest of my life."   
  
Endymion ran forward and hugged Serenity desperately. "No. I won't let you go. You'd have to give up everything.  
  
"I know. But it would only be fitting and I don't want to marry a prince. I want to live with a priest." A priest who doesn't love me  



	6. Ceremony

Helios brought Serenity with him to Elysion, though he knew for certain that her plan would not succede. He wouldn't have the vision, or take her to him and have her bear them a child to be raised in Elysion. He would just try and bear the fact the person he hated most in the world was going to be with him always. Serenity sure did make things a pain. He must have been a very foolish lad in his youth if he had fallen in love with HER.   
  
Serenity went to her small room and changed from her elegant princess garb to the fitting robes a princess. There was the white under-robe and then several layers of thin golden gauze with a white sash to close the garment. She went back outand realized she had no idea what to do. Helios had gone off to attend to some buisness or other and she was at a loss. One of the other maidens came and showed her where to go. Why did Helios abandon her? Why could he not look past all that had happened?   
  
Months went by and Serenity soon became a clumsy, but capible shrine maiden of Elysion. She prayed to give strength to the rulers of Earth and she meditated and help with community service. But she also planned to try and win Helios back. She was forbidden some things as a preistess that would have made her job easier, like makeup and flirtation. But she could always do her hair in a new style or leave the neck line of her gown a little open to show some clevage. But none of it seemed to work. Untill Helios had the dream...  
  
It was a night that up on the surface of the earth would be known as stormy and dark. Down in the center, in Elysion, every one was sleeping soundly however. Except Helios. He tossed and turned and murmured in his sleep. His skin was sweaty and his breathing was rapid. Prilla, the miko with long green hair, ran into his chamber. His sleep-noise had awakened her as she was a light sleeper. She shook the preist lightly and he sat up very quickly. "Prilla. I had the dream of conception. Tomarrow will be the day of preperation." Prilla nodded and went back to bed.  
  
Helios himself had trouble sleeping. There had been something odd about the dream. The dreams of conception the priests had were known to be rather sugestive if not downright erotic, but in this dream he had been reluctant. He had been hesitant to bed with one of his preistesses. Which one had it been? Prilla...Amber...Serenity... Helios tried to recall the face of the girl in his dream... maroon eyes...pale skin... delicate nose...soft hands...and black hair. Amber then. She would be purifyed tomarrow. But why did Helios feel so reluctant?  
The next morning Prilla and Serenity were ordered to purify Amber and Helios to prepare them for the ceremony that would commence after sunset. Serenity was assigned to Helios. She set some rose sented bathwater for him to wash in and let the bubbles billow up thickly in the steamy water. After he had bathed she gave him a massage. It had been the first time in ages that she had even touched Helios, much less given him a massage. Helios groaned a little when Serenity hit a sore spot and grutned out, "That's the spot Serenity."  
  
"How did the dream come about?"asked Serenity tenderly.   
  
"I just had it. Hurt?" groaned the preist as Serenity's hands bit into his flesh just behind the shoulder.   
  
"No more than I must have hurt you. Are you sure this was the real dream?"   
  
"Yes. It was real. And you realize that there isn't anything you can say to keep me from doing this? It's the only way to create the real preist for Elysion."   
  
"I know. I just wish things had turned out diffrently. For us. You did love me once Helios." Serenity let her voice linger on his name. Something pinged inside the priest. Why? What did the hesitancy of the dream mean? Helios felt warm when Serenity's hands ran across his back. He had loved her once. Did he still love her even through the hate and frustration? Helios finaly got up after the once-princess had finished rubbing some tangerine lotion into his skin.   
  
Serenity turned to leave, she didn't want Helios to see her face, she was fighting back tears. The preist caught the girl by her wrist and pulled on it so she had to turn and face him. He gently brushed the tears away from her eyes and spoke gently. "I want to see something Serenity. I'm sorry if this hurts..." Helios gently kissed Serenity and let it last as long as it was ment to. His hands moved to her jaw and his finger rubbed her ear gently. She made no move to break the kiss untill he attempted to deepen it.   
  
"Helios no." Serenity let out a strangled cry and pulled away. "It's going to mean nothing and your breaking your oath."  
  
"I've kissed you twice before and the world didn't end. Just once more won't hurt."  
  
"Won't hurt you, you mean." Serenity forced herself to look into Helios's eyes. In these past months they had been icy and cold when she looked into them. Now they were warm and firey like she remembered from before they got into this mess. "Your just going to leave now and let me suffer."  
  
"I can't go against the sacred decree. I had the dream. It's going to be Amber, Serenity." Helios looked sadly and longingly at Serenity, his eyes traveling down the loosened neckline of her robe. "I'm the one who is most sorry angle."  
  
"No your not." Serenity choked back a sob and then ran from the room.  
  
  
The next morning Helios awoke and felt like he had been drugged. Last night had been interesting. Veeeeery interesting. Amber... where was she anyways? Helios turned his head and saw Amber curled up in the sheets. Now he knew he had made a terrible mistake. The dream had been real, but the ceremony was wrong. Everything had gone all right, oh goodness yes it certaintly had. Helios had never before and it had been amazing. But it wasn't right. It should have been Serenity that night and it hadn't been. Helios sighed. He wouldn't argue with the will of the gods.   
  
Helios got out of bed and put on his clothes. He woke Amber gently and helped dress her. "Don't you want to..." asked Amber sleepily as she sat on the bed with the front of her robe open.   
  
"No. It's not the right time now." Helios did want to, but it wasn't only the rules of ceremony holding him back.  
  
Amber pouted and entwined her arms around Helios's neck and he tried to pull her gown closed. She pulled him closer and kissed him deeply. He didn't pull back, he felt himself being pulled into that drunken dis-control. He had to swim out. Escape the pull of Amber's scent and warmth. Helios abrutly tore away and walked to the door. "Don't tempt me. I've hurt myself enough." grunted Helios. "Lets go to breakfast."  
  



	7. Dream Come True

oNeo-Queen Serenity admitted the servant who looked like something was very wrong. "Speak Jehuti." she commanded. Her voice was as regal as ever and she still had a serene strength and beauty as usual, though the light had gone out of her eyes since her daughter left for Elysion with Helios.   
  
"Her holiness Preistess Amber has just lost the child." said Jehuti sadly. It had been only three months since the ritual of holy conception. Serenity had given up trying to win back Helios and had become reclusive and shy since her well laid plans had failed and Helios had betrayed her with Amber. Serenity new all of this through a little magic with the Silver Crystal and her own woman's intuation strengthened with the bond she had between her and her daughter.   
  
"Thank you Jehuti. What next?"  
  
"According to the ancient laws of Elysion, the preist must pick one of the other two preistess to bear his child. Nothing else has changed. The remaining two preistesses will help raise the child and the preist will retire." said Jehuti, carefull of offending the Queen when she was so edgy.  
  
"Go send my regrets." Serenity snapped.   
  
In Elysion Serenity and Prilla were tending to Amber who was both physicaly and heart sick. She had failed Helios, Helios who had been so good to her these past three months. Serenity got up after spooning Amber some soup and took the tray back to the kitchen. Helios was there and raiding the larder of a pumpernickle loaf. "How's Amber?" he asked, mouth full of bread.  
  
"Fine. She'll recover soon. I think the strain on her mentaly is far worse than any damage done to her body." said Serenity softly as she turned away and started to reload the tray with food for her own lunch.  
  
"I'm almost glad Amber lost the baby." Helios said it suddenly and Serenity spun around. Helios caught Serenity's shocked face and he continued. "I have another chance." Helios moved foward swiftly like a wild cat. He caught his preistess against the cupboard and pressed her against the wood.   
  
Serenity turned her head away so she didn't have to look at Helios. "Your just going to torture me again aren't you? See if you still care and then leave me hanging."  
  
Helios pressed her even harder against the wall. "I love you Serenity. Three months ago I loved you but the dream demanded Amber. It was good but it was also not right. It felt wrong afterwards. I woke up and saw her next to me and wished it was you."  
  
"So what are you saying?" asked Serenity.  
  
"I want you here and now." whispered Helios, his eyes alive and sparkling like a deep sunlit sea. "What do you say to that?"  
  
"Yes..." breathed Serenity without quite being aware of the fact the words were comeing from her own lips. Helios didn't reply but kissed her deeply. Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck. "Wait."  
  
"Why? We've waited too long already..." Helios tried to rekindle to kiss.   
  
"My chamber...not the kitchen."   
  
"Do I have to wait untill we get there?" Helios whimpred. Serenity nodded and then led him down the hall to her room.  
  
"Do you love me?" asked Serenity to Helios as they consumated their love for eachother.   
  
"Yes." he replied, kissing her after the words left his mouth. 


End file.
